Stations of the Cross this Afternoon

This afternoon, Friday, March 27, at 1:45pm, our 8th-grade students will lead our School Stations of the Cross. We encourage families to join us for this meaningful religious devotion. Doors open at 1:30pm, and guest seating is available behind the student sections. Learn more.

Pack the House Tomorrow

Let's Pack the House tomorrow night for Boys Volleyball! The evening begins with 6th grade at 5pm, followed by 7th White and Red. 8th Grade takes on St. Linus at 7:30pm. View all the game times.

All 8th-grade students and their parents are invited to a post-game reception at The Vineyard. $15 per person included pizza and pop. Cash bar.

Financial Aid Deadline Approaching

Financial Assistance applications for the 2026-2027 school year are being accepted through April 15. Notification of award decisions will be communicated to all eligible applicant families in May. You are required to upload your completed 2025 federal tax return and any supporting documents. If you have any issues accessing the financial aid application, you may speak with a FACTS customer support representative by calling 866-441-4637. Apply in FACTS.

Buckeye Scholarship - Catholic families who are registered and active parishioners of St. Barnabas Church are potentially eligible for the parish's needs-based Buckeye Scholarship. Information regarding the scholarship can be found on the parish website, and applicants must apply in FACTS by the April 15 deadline.

Ridge Run Coordinator Wanted!

The annual BAPA Ridge Run & 100th Memorial Day Parade is on Monday, May 25. Each year, there are many students, parents, and alumni runners from St. Barnabas. Our ASE partner, Run Like a Cheetah, hosts a team, and this year we are looking to add to the team list with a St. Barnabas Team. Having a St. Barnabas Team allows for a team tent for gathering, a team photo, and a $5 discount code and pizza voucher for each runner! It’s also a wonderful way to showcase St. Barnabas at an incredible community event.

Responsibilities for the coordinator are fairly simple - help communicate day of logistics and packet pick up. If you’re interested in helping to coordinate the team, please email Ms. Sadowski.

Parent Workshop

Join us on Thursday, April 30 at 6:30pm in the Main Hall for a Social Emotional Learning Workshop. The session is geared towards parents of students in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade, but parents of any age are welcome. Align Counselor Julie Schultz will share guidance with parents to help their children build confidence, resilience, and strong decision-making skills. Our students will participate in a school-day workshop to learn similar, age-appropriate tools from Julie. Learn more.

Art Fair - Save the Date

Save the Date for our Spring Art Fair! This year’s fair will be held Saturday afternoon, May 16, from 2pm - 4pm, and Sunday, May 17, from 11am - 1pm. Students will also have the opportunity to visit the fair with their homeroom on Monday, May 18. Every student in Bitty Buckeyes - Grade 8 will have a piece on display. If you would like to volunteer to help support the fair, please email Mrs. Bachler at bachler@stbarnabasparish.org . Learn more about the fair.

June Summer Camp

Registration is open for our June Summer Camps, hosted by St. Barnabas teachers and open to students in rising grades PK - 8. Camps will be held the weeks of June 8 and June 15, and are the perfect way to ease into summer. Register online.

11:50 Dismissal on Wednesday

Students will dismiss at 11:50am (11:40 PK) on Wednesday, April 1. After Care is not available. Classes will resume on Monday, April 13. During the break, our school building will be closed, and the gym will remain open for limited student activities.  

Lost and Found

Our Lost and Found table will be placed outside or in the main lobby, in the days leading up to break. Please search for any missing items. All remaining items will be donated over break. 

Operation Rice Bowl

Thank you to all students and families for supporting our Operation Rice Bowl effort to benefit Catholic Relief Services. Please continue to contribute to your bowls over break, and students may bring in their collections on Tuesday, April 21.

Holy Week

Holy Week is the most important and sacred week in our Catholic faith. We welcome each of you to participate, remember, and reflect as a parish community:

• Palm Sunday, March 29 - Mass at 8am and 10am 
• Holy Thursday, April 2 - Mass at 7pm, Adoration until midnight
• Good Friday, April 3 - Stations of the Cross at 3pm
• Saturday, April 4 - Blessing of Easter Baskets at 4pm, Easter Vigil Mass at 7pm
• Sunday, April 5 - Easter Sunday Mass at 8am and 10am

Pastoral Announcement

As shared at Church this past weekend, pastoral changes will take place this summer at St. Barnabas. Father Donovan has been named as the new pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Orland Park and will begin his new position on July 1. Read more.

Calendar for Next Year

We are pleased to share the calendar for the next school year. While we are still awaiting official approval from the Office of Catholic Schools, we are confident in sharing this draft as you plan for next school year. The attached calendar outlines the first and last days, as well as early dismissals and days off throughout the year. View the 2026-2027 School Calendar

Enrollment Update

Our enrollment process for the next school year is well underway, and our numbers are strong. We are currently set to welcome 60 new students to St. Barnabas School, which includes 32 new families. Our Preschool is almost at capacity, so if you know anyone who is interested in applying for the 2026-2027 school year, please encourage them to begin their admissions process.

Staffing Announcements

We are hiring for the next school year! Should you know any exemplary candidates for our teaching team, please have them submit a resume online. Ms. Sadowski has been hard at work promoting our school, and we already have several new hires set for next year. We look forward to introducing you to them in the near future. 

Mrs. July Fleming, a longtime aide in the preschool and primary grades, will retire at the end of the school year. Mrs. Fleming positively impacted the lives of countless students with her considerate and caring personality; gently encouraging and supporting our young students every step of the way. In addition to her role as a kindergarten and preschool aide, Judy dedicated countless hours to the care and upkeep of our school and parish grounds as a master gardener.  

Mrs. Maureen O’Donnell, our student support case manager, will also be retiring at the end of the school year. In her four years at St. Barnabas, Mrs. O’Donnell brought valuable experience. As our first student support case manager, Mrs. O'Donnell helped establish a more defined, supportive, and inclusive environment for many of our students, which will carry into the foundation of our school for many years to come.

Mrs. Mia Boayue (Kindergarten), Ms. Patty Green (Grade 4), Mrs. Stephanie Krabbe (Jr. High), and Ms. Sam Paholke (Grade 1) have also decided not to return to St. Barnabas School next year. We thank them for the time shared with our school community. Lastly, due to Federal funding cuts, our Rise Program teachers will be reduced to one. Sadly, Ms. Maren Craig will not be returning next year, but we are grateful that Ms. Morgan Patterson will remain in her role in Rise.

Fun Food with Manzo's Burgers

The final FSA Fun Food of the year is Friday, May 1, with Manzo’s Burgers. Orders are due by Friday, April 17, at 3pm. Cheeseburgers, hamburgers, chicken tenders, hot dogs, or grilled cheese - there is something for everyone! Volunteers are needed to help serve and organize. Please sign up to help when you place your order. For questions, contact the FSA Fun Food Coordinator, Elise Mayer, at elise.mayer@chsd218.org. Order Fun Food.

Purchase Your Mother Son Tickets

The Mother-Son Bowling Party hosted by the FSA will take place on Sunday, April 19, at Arena Lanes. Join together for a fun evening of bowling, pizza, and memories. $50 includes a pair of tickets (mom + son) with bowling for your son, shoe rental, and 2 slices of pizza + pop per person, $22 ticket for additional son. The arcade will also be open; please bring money if your child plans to play at the arcade. Purchase in Membership Toolkit

Get Ready for Spirit Day

Spirit Day is one of the best days of the year for our St. Barnabas students!! This year's event on Friday, May 22, is an 11:50am student dismissal leading into the long Memorial Day weekend. 

VOLUNTEER - We’re getting ready for a fun, high-energy celebration for our students. To make the day run smoothly, we’re looking for parent/guardian volunteers. Sign up to be part of the planning committee or a day-of volunteer! Sign up to volunteer

TSHIRT SALE - It's tradition for each grade to wear a specific color. This adds a team-oriented, festive element to the day, and 100% of the proceeds go to the FSA to help fund Spirit Day. Shirt orders are due by Sunday, April 26. Place your order.

QUESTIONS - Reach out to the Spirit Day Coordinators: Lindsey Goodman at ldrinane@gmail.com or Melissa Kreikemeier at mdillon925@gmail.com.

St. Joseph’s Day - A huge thanks to the St. Joseph’s Day Committee and helpers who worked so diligently to bring the celebration to our school and parish. Their creativity, care, and continued efforts have allowed St. Joseph’s Day to grow into a heartwarming experience for our community. We thank Erin Liebenauer for coordinating the day. Lisa Barraco for creating the stunning floral arch. Anne Piko, Reggie O’Connor, and Lisa for beautifully setting the St. Joseph’s Table. David Kennedy for running the show in the kitchen and to Lisa & Nick and Barraco’s Restaurant for generously supporting the meal. It was a family affair and we give a special thanks to parents and children of the Tierney, Barraco, Carpenter, Piper, Hemmer, O’Connor, Liebenauer, and Piko families, who all pitched in to support. And to additional committee members - Megan Kreiter, Nicolette Martin, Jeana Reichard, Jessica and Mike McCarihan - who lent their support and enthusiasm. Thank you all!!

Hoops for Humanity - Thank you to our dedicated Student Council for hosting another successful year of the Hoops for Humanity Tournament. We had 17 student teams participate! Congrats to the winning teams and their chosen charities: 
7th & 8th Grade Winning Team and Charity: BAPA 100th Memorial Day Parade Honoring Veterans

Cedrick Cerant, Lily Kearney, and Nathan Maclay-Ryan

5th & 6th Grade Winning Team and Charity: Feed My Starving Children

Allison Burke, Viktor Pennix, and Owen Reilly

• FAMILY RESOURCES - School Policies and Procedures
• STAY IN THE KNOW - Link to top news & events
• REPORT AN ABSENCE - Report illness or planned absence by 8am
• HOT LUNCH - Country House food service
• STAFF DIRECTORY - Staff emails
• FAMILY DIRECTORY - DirectorySpot Access
• ROOM PARENTS - Contact Info for each homeroom
• INCIDENT REPORT - Online Incident Reporting Form
• CLASS OF 2026 - 8th Grade Events Page
• VOLUNTEER - Get Involved
• TREATS FOR TEACHERS - Donate drinks and snacks for staff
• BUCKEYE SHOP - Spirit Wear and Uniform Apparel
• SCHOOL NEWS ARCHIVE - Links to previous issues
• PHOTO GALLERY - Links to Meghan Jones images